Horizontal and vertical mountable weatherproof cover plate

ABSTRACT

A weatherproof cover plate that may be installed horizontally and vertically is disclosed. In a weatherproof flat cover plate, an apron is provided to offer a water shield along at least two sides of the cover plate base. Additionally, a continuous ridge on the base is disclosed in association with a gasket and a biased hinge to provide additional protection against the weather. A novel locking clip is also disclosed. In a weatherproof bubble cover plate, a biased hinge is provided to bias the lid closed upon the base. Additionally, one or more cord catches in the base and knock-outs in the lid are disclosed. Other embodiments include bubble cover plates having gaps between the lid and the base to allow a cord to pass therethrough when the lid is close.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part application of the earlierpatent application by Shotey et al. entitled “Horizontal and VerticalMountable Weatherproof Cover Plate,” Ser. No. 10/128,938, filed Apr. 23,2002, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,700,063 on Mar. 2, 2004, whichapplication is a continuation application of the earlier patentapplication by Shotey et al. entitled “Horizontal and Vertical MountableWeatherproof Cover Plate,” Ser. No. 10/015/731, filed Nov. 1, 2001,which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,321 on Nov. 5, 2002, whichapplication is a continuation-in-part of the earlier patent applicationby Shotey et al. entitled “Base for Electrical Outlet and RelatedMethod,” Ser. No. 09/456,089, filed Dec. 6, 1999, which applicationissued on Jul. 16, 2002 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,653, and of the earlierpatent application by Shotey et al. entitled “Universal Cover Plate,”Ser. No. 09/657,352, filed Sep. 7, 2000, which application issued onAug. 27, 2002 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,307, the disclosures of which arehereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention generally relates to electrical outlets and, moreparticularly, to a weatherproof cover plate for an electrical outletconfigured to be mountable in both horizontal and vertical orientationsby providing a biased hinge and weatherproofing features.

2. Background Art

Cover plates for electrical devices have been used extensively for manyyears. The general construction, operation and usefulness of coverplates are well known in the art. Cover plates are generally categorizedas either flat cover plates or bubble cover plates. Several examples ofcover plates are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,831 toShotey et al. (Jun. 9, 1998) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,993 to Shotey etal., the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference. Varieties of each of these two styles of cover plates areknown to be made weatherproof by manufacturers for use outside or inextreme conditions. Weatherproof cover plates, as they are known in theart and approved by the Underwriters Laboratories (“UL”), are coverplates for electrical devices or outlets which self close when mountedand, when closed, resist water from reaching the electrical device oroutlet protected by the cover plate sufficient to meet and pass thetesting standards established by UL. Weatherproof cover plates areconventionally designed and sold for either horizontal or verticalmounting, and not for both. This requires cover plate installers andsuppliers to maintain stock of both horizontal and vertical weatherproofcover plates.

Conventional bubble cover plates are designed so that the weight of thecover plate lid closes the lid against the base of the cover plate.Accordingly, bubble cover plates are designed and installed so that thehinges for the lid are along the upper edge of the cover plate whenmounted so that gravity pulls the lid shut in compliance with the ULstandard. For additional weatherproofing protection, a portion of thelid of a bubble cover plate is conventionally sized and shaped tooverlap a portion of the base.

Conventional flat cover plates comprise a base for mounting to an outletbox, a lid hingedly mounted to the base, and a gasket associated withthe lid so that when the lid is closed against the base, the gasketcontacts the base to resist water flow to the electrical componentsunder the lid. For flat cover plates, because the lids are generallysmaller and of lighter weight than those of bubble cover plate lidswhich are closed by gravity, and because the thin profile of a flatcover plate is less conducive to a latch, some form of a spring or otherbiasing device is used to force the lid closed to press and maintain thegasket against the base. Without the spring, the lighter lids aresubject to being blown open by the wind or to remaining slightly openthereby exposing the electrical outlet to the weather. Again, however,because UL requires that the lid keep water from the electrical outletprotected by the cover plate, flat cover plates are conventionallydesigned and approved to be installed either horizontally or verticallyand not both.

Thus, there is a need for both a weatherproof flat cover plate and aweatherproof bubble cover plate in the art that is approved for and maybe installed both horizontally and vertically.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to embodiments of weatherproof coverplates that are installable in both the horizontal and verticalorientations. For embodiments of a weatherproof flat cover plate, anapron is disclosed which extends from at least two sides of the flatcover plate base to reflect water thereon from the base. For additionalprotection against the weather, the apron may be angled with respect tothe base, a continuous ridge may extend above the base, and the lid mayinclude a gasket and a biased hinge so that the biased hinge presses thegasket against the continuous ridge to create a barrier against waterpassing over the ridge. A removable locking clip that secures itself tothe base may be used to assist in securing the lid against the base. Forembodiments of a weatherproof bubble cover plate, a biased hinge is usedto bias the lid closed upon the base. Embodiments of the bubble coverplate also include one or more cord catches in the base and knockouts inthe lid to accommodate a cord attached to an electrical device or outletwithin the cover plate to extend to outside the cover plate. Alternateembodiments of the cover plate also include one or more gaps between thebase and the lid to allow a cord to extend from inside the cover plateto outside the cover plate without preventing the lid from closing.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill be apparent from the following more detailed description of theparticular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flat cover plate configured accordingto an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the flat cover plate of FIG. 1 as seen alongview lines 2—2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the flat cover plate embodiment of FIG. 1 as seenwith the lid open when viewed along lines 3—3 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a view of the inside of the base of the embodiment of FIG. 1as seen along view lines 4—4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view of the base of the embodiment of FIG. 1 as seen alongview lines 5—5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front view of a locking clip configured according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cutaway side view of the clip of FIG. 6 as seen along viewlines 7—7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is side view of the clip of FIG. 6 shown coupled to a lid andbase of a flat cover plate;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a separated lid and base of a bubble coverplate configured according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the base of FIG. 9 as seen along view lines10—10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an end view of the base of FIG. 10 as seen along view lines11—11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view of the lid of FIG. 9 as seen along view lines 12—12 ofFIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is an end view of the base of FIG. 9 as seen along view lines13—13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is an end view of the base of FIG. 9 as seen along view lines14—14 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is an end view of the base of FIG. 10 as seen along view lines15—15 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 16 is an assembled side view of the cover plate of FIG. 9;

FIG. 17 is an end view of a base of a bubble cover plate with aflattened corner similar to the view of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a top view of a portion of the base of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is an end view of a base of a bubble cover plate similar to theview of FIG. 15, the base using a T-shaped cord catch;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a flat weatherproof cover plate withoutan apron;

FIG. 21 is a side view of a first embodiment of a pinching cord catch ina cover plate base;

FIG. 22 is a side view of a second embodiment of a pinching cord catchin a cover plate base;

FIG. 23 is a bottom view of an assembled weatherproof bubble lid andbase illustrating a first embodiment of a gap;

FIG. 24 is a side view of the weatherproof bubble lid and base of FIG.23 in which the lid and base are separated to show a base opening;

FIG. 25 is a bottom view of an assembled weatherproof bubble lid andbase illustrating a second embodiment of a gap; and

FIG. 26 is a side view of the weatherproof bubble lid and base of FIG.25 in which the lid and base are separated to show a base opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate toweatherproof cover plates that may be selectively mounted in both thehorizontal and vertical orientations. Referring to FIGS. 1-5,illustrating an embodiment of a flat weatherproof cover plate 2, theflat cover plate 2 generally includes a lid 4 and a base 6. The lid 4 ishingedly coupled to the base 6 by a biased hinge 8 in this embodiment,though a biased hinge is not required in all embodiments. The biasedhinge 8 continuously biases the lid 4 into a closed position such as isshown in FIG. 1 using biasing elements 36 best shown in FIGS. 3-5. Thelid 4 includes a stop 10 for preventing the lid 4 from opening beyond adesired angle by coming in contact with a first side 12 of the base 6when the lid 4 is in an open position. As will be clear to one ofordinary skill in the art, the particular configuration and structure ofthe biased hinge is not crucial to the invention and any of the manyhinge configurations known in the art combined with a biasing device,such as a coil spring, band spring, elastic member pulling the lid shut,and the like, are sufficient to practice the invention.

In the embodiment of the flat cover 2 shown in FIGS. 1-5, an apronextends from the base 6 along three sides 12, 14 and 16. The apron inthis embodiment does not include any openings therein which would allowwater to flow into the base. The apron, as shown in FIG. 2, may beconfigured to angle toward the lid 4 slightly to cause any water on theapron to flow away from the base 6 when the cover plate 2 is mounted toa box. By only slightly angling the apron toward the lid, water may flowfrom the apron, but the lid 4 can still close against the base 6 whilebeing seated within the apron. An angle of between 1 and 15 degrees issufficient. It is contemplated that in embodiments of the invention, theapron will be included along only two adjacent sides of the base 6. Byincluding the additional weather protection provided by an apron on twoadjacent sides, the cover plate 2 may still be installed in both avertical and a horizontal orientation and have an apron along an upperedge of the installed cover plate.

As shown in FIG. 4, which illustrates the base 6 of the cover plate 2 asviewed along line 4—4 of FIG. 3, the base 6 of the illustratedembodiment of the invention includes a plurality of mounting screwapertures 18, 20, 22 and 24 for alternatively mounting the cover plate 2to a plurality of different configurations of electrical boxes forapplying the cover plate 2 to a wider variety of electrical outlets anddevices. Knock-out elements 26 in the base may be selectively removed inthe present embodiment shown in FIG. 4 to adaptively receive a duplexoutlet, a ground fault circuit interrupt (GFCI) outlet, a plurality ofround outlet sizes, and a single pole double throw switch. Themanipulation and function of the knock-out elements 26 is more fullyshown and described in the previous patent application Ser. No.09/657,352 entitled “Universal Cover Plate”, the disclosure of which waspreviously incorporated herein by reference. By coupling the versatilityof applying this cover plate to a wide variety of outlets with theability to mount this outlet in both the vertical and horizontalorientations and still meet the UL testing standards for weatherproofsafety, this single cover plate may be used in place of an even widervariety of weatherproof cover plates presently used in the art.

As is also shown in FIG. 4, the base of the present invention mayinclude keyhole mounting screw holes or “slots” 18 to simplifyinstalling of the cover plate. Each keyhole slot 18 includes a firstaperture large enough for a screw head to pass through, and a secondaperture having a diameter smaller than a screw head. The secondaperture is aligned with a mounting screw hole in an electrical box. Theuse and function of keyhole slot apertures with electrical outlet basesis more fully shown and described in the previous patent applicationSer. No. 09/456,089 entitled “Base for Electrical Outlet and RelatedMethod,” the disclosure of which was previously incorporated herein byreference. While the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4 showsthe keyholes slots 18 in a location for aligning with the electrical boxscrews of a duplex outlet, it is contemplated that any of the othermounting screw holes may be substituted with a keyhole slot for use withembodiments of the present invention.

Another feature of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS.B 1-5for simplifying installation of all cover plates, and particularlybiased hinge cover plates, is the opening 30 in the lid 4 shown best inFIGS. 1 and 3. In conventional installation of biased hinge coverplates, it is particularly difficult to align the base with theelectrical box and screw the box mounting screw through the basemounting screw aperture closest the biased hinge while the biased hingeis forcing the lid closed. This is particularly difficult for duplexweatherproof outlets. By providing openings 30 in the lid 4 of a coverplate 2 which each align with a box mounting screw aperture 18 in thebase 6, the lid may be closed for all or a portion of the mounting ofthe base 6 to the electrical box.

The opening 30 in the lid 4 may be configured large enough to insert thescrew threads and head without opening the lid, or may be sized suchthat the screw may be started with the lid open, and tightened with thelid closed. Furthermore, this opening 30 is particularly useful whencombined with the use of a keyhole slots 18. For example, to install thecover plate 2 shown in FIGS. 1-5, a box mounting screw may be startedinto an electrical box and tightened to a point where only a portion ofthe screw threads are not inserted into the box mounting screw hole.Thereafter, the keyhole slots 18 may be placed over the box mountingscrews and slid into place so that the second, smaller aperture of eachof the keyhole slots 18 is aligned with the box mounting screw head.With the lid closed, the box mounting screw closest to the hinge 8 maybe tightened through opening 30 in the lid 4. If a second opening is notprovided for the box mounting screw farthest from the hinge 8, the lidmay then be opened to partially tighten that screw. Because it is mostdifficult to tighten the box mounting screw closest to the hinge 8, itis most useful to have an opening 30 aligned with the mounting screwaperture in the base corresponding to that screw. However, embodimentsof the invention may include openings for any or all of the mountingscrew apertures in the base.

The use of keyhole slots 18 for installing a weatherproof cover plate isparticularly useful because the lid of the weatherproof cover platetends to interfere with inserting the screws into the box screw holesthrough the base. By providing keyhole slots 18 in the base, whether ornot the lid includes openings 30 therethrough for accessing the mountingscrew apertures 18, the mounting screws may be partially mounted onto anoutlet box and then the cover plate can be placed on the outlet boxwithout struggling with the lid while starting in the mounting screwsinto the appropriate holes in the electrical box. Once the screws arestarted into the electrical box, it is much easier to finish screwingthem in despite interference with the lid. The mounting screws can becompletely tightened from inside the lid, or through an opening 30 inthe lid.

For the particular embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, a continuous ridge 32extends from the base 6 surrounding the portion of the base throughwhich the outlet will extend when the base 6 is installed on anelectrical box. The ridge 32 of the present embodiment is approximately2 mm high, though taller and shorter ridges are contemplated and may berequired depending upon the strength of the bias in closing the lid andother characteristics which will be clear to those of ordinary skill inthe art from this disclosure. The continuous ridge 32 provides anadditional weatherproof feature of the present embodiment in conjunctionwith a gasket 34 associated with the lid 4. When the lid 4 is pressedclosed by the biasing hinge 8, the gasket 34 presses against thecontinuous ridge 32 extending from the base 6 to resist water flowthereacross. By placing the ridge 32 inwardly of some of the boxmounting holes 18 and 22, the ridge and gasket combination also providesadditional protection to isolate the outlet openings from the boxmounting holes 18 and 22 and prevent water from seeping through thoseholes 18 and 22 into the electrical workings of the box while the lid isclosed. When the cover plate 2 is mounted to an electrical box, themounting holes 20 and 24 within the ridge are each either filled with ascrew or are in communication with the electrical box and, therefore,will not pose a threat of water seeping therethrough to the electricaldevices protected by the cover plate 2.

The thickness and resilience of the gasket 34 in the lid 4 and the biaselements 36 in the hinge 18, and the height of the ridge 32 determinehow effectively the ridge and gasket combination keeps water fromcrossing the barrier formed when the lid 4 is in its closed positionagainst the base. It is also contemplated that in particular embodimentsof the invention, such as the embodiment of a cover plate 104 shown inFIG. 20, the apron extending from the base 6 will not be necessary toreflect water from the base in a weatherproof horizontal and verticalmountable cover plate because the ridge and gasket combination providesa sufficient barrier to water flow. Note that the opening 106 in the lidof the embodiment shown in FIG. 20 extends to an edge of the lid. Solong as the opening 106 is placed outside the ridge and gasket seal,water does not pass to the electrical outlet or device protected by thelid. The gasket 34 may also include punch-out sections, such as theround punch-out section indicated by dashed line 38 in FIG. 3, toaccommodate electrical devices which extend through the base fartherthan the ridge and may cause interference to the lid 4 closing.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the lid 4 may also includean extension 40 to provide a handle by which the lid 4 may be moreeasily opened. The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-5 alsoincludes a locking clip aperture 42 in the lid 4 and a corresponding andaligned locking clip aperture 44 in the base 6. A novel locking clip 46is disclosed in FIGS. 6-8 which includes an elongated body portion 48having a raised latching section 50, a restraining end 52 having anaperture 54 therethrough, and a locking end 56 having a locking aperture58 through which a padlock, locking pin, or other mechanism may be usedto secure the lid to the base. Aperture 54 is not required for thegeneral operation of the clip.

To install the locking clip 46, the locking end 56 is inserted into thelocking clip aperture 44 in the base 6 and then through the locking clipaperture 42 in the lid 4 so that the elongated body portion 48 of thelocking clip 46 extends through both locking clip apertures 42 and 44.The raised latching section 50 is flexibly coupled to the elongated bodyportion 48 such that when the elongated body portion is inserted intothe locking clip apertures 42 and 44, the raised latching section 50flexes into alignment with the remainder of the elongated body portion48 until it completely passes through the locking clip aperture 44 inthe base. As shown in FIG. 8, once the raised portion 50 passes throughthe locking clip aperture 44 in the base, it returns to its originalposition to prevent the locking clip 46 from slipping back out of thelocking clip aperture 44. The restraining end 52 of the locking clip 46prevents the locking clip 46 from completely passing through the lockingclip aperture 44 by coming into contact with the base 6. The restrainingend 52 may be oriented either toward the edge of the base 6, or towardthe center with equal effectiveness. If directed toward the edge of thebase 6, the aperture 54 in the restraining end may be used to assist inlocking the lid 4 to the base 6.

In particular embodiments of the locking clip 46, the elongated bodyportion 48 is provided with the length needed for the locking end 56 ofthe locking clip 46 to extend beyond the lid 4 and allow the lid to belocked through the locking aperture 58 with a padlock, pin or otherlocking mechanism, but not so long as to prevent the lid 4 from openingwhen the locking clip is in place. To remove the locking clip 46 fromthe cover plate, an operator may press or squeeze the raised portion 50back into alignment with the elongated body portion 48 and draw thelocking clip 46 back through the locking clip apertures 42 and 44 in thelid 4 and base 6.

The locking clip may be formed of any resilient plastic or metal whichis pliable enough to allow for the operation of the resilient memberwithout breaking. For example, when made of plastic, the locking clipmay be formed by a plastic extrusion or molding process. Alternatively,a plastic locking clip may be die cut from a sheet of plastic, heatedand shaped accordingly. A die cut and shaping process may form a metalclip, for example. Methods and materials for forming appropriateresilient plastic and metal members that meet the requirements of thisinvention are known in the art and will be clear to those of ordinaryskill in the art.

FIGS. 9-16 illustrate an embodiment of a weatherproof bubble cover plate60 which is mountable in both horizontal and vertical orientations. Thebubble cover plate 60 includes a lid 62 and a base 64 ordinarily coupledby a biased hinge 66 as shown in FIG. 16. The biased hinge 66 of FIG. 9is shown uncoupled for clarity. Conventional weatherproof bubble coverplates do not have biased hinges because the lids of conventionalweatherproof bubble cover plates are generally approved only for and areinstalled only in an orientation with the hinge at the top and the lidis sufficiently heavy to close the lid. Conventional bubble cover platesoften also include clasp members, such as clasp members 68 and 70, toclasp the bubble cover closed when the weight of the lid forces it shut.For embodiments of the invention that include a biased hinge 66, claspmembers 68 and 70 may be included for additional assurance that the lid62 will remain closed against the base 64, but are not needed tomaintain the lid 62 closed in a weatherproof manner.

The biased hinge 66 of the bubble cover plate 60 embodiments shown inFIGS. 9-16 includes lid hinge elements 72 and base hinge elements 74. Asbest illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, similar to the hinge bias elements36 of the embodiment shown in FIGS.B 3 and 4, the hinge bias element 76of the bubble cover plate 60 biases the hinge bias bar 78 of the lidhinge elements 72 causing the lid to pivot about an axis through thehinge pivots 80 when the hinge pivots 80 are seated in the base pivotseats 82. Because the lid 62 of the bubble cover plate 60 is larger andoften heavier than that of a flat cover, it may be necessary to use astronger bias element 76 to close the lid 62 in a horizontalorientation. The specific strength of the spring necessary to close thelid in a horizontal orientation may be readily determined by one ofordinary skill in the art for the specific design of a particular coverplate. Additionally, while only a single bias element 76 is shown forthe embodiment of FIGS. 9-16, it should be understood that additional oralternative bias elements may be used for a particular application. Someof these were set forth in the prior description of possible biasingelements of the flat weather weatherproof cover plate.

Also similar to the embodiment of the flat cover plate shown in FIGS.1-5, the base 64 of the bubble cover plate 60 includes mounting screwapertures configured as keyhole slots 84, and apertures and knock-outsfor adapting the base 64 for either a duplex outlet or a GFCI outlet. Itwill be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that forembodiments of either the flat or bubble covers the bases may beconfigured for use with a single type of outlet or device, or may beconfigured for use with a plurality of outlets or devices depending uponthe desired application. The embodiments shown should not be construedto limit the application of the novel principles of the invention toparticular types of outlets or devices.

The base 64 of the bubble cover plate 60 further includes a cord catch84 positioned along an upper lip 88, or ridge of the base structure 64so that a cord may be placed in the cord catch 84 to allow the cord tobe plugged into a receptacle or otherwise attached to an electronicdevice installed within the cover plate 60 when the lid is closed. Forstiff cords that do not bend easily when confronted with the lidclosing, a knock-out tab 90 may be positioned along a lip 92, or ridgeof the lid 62. In particular embodiments of the invention, the knock-outtab 90 covers the cord catch 84 when the lid is in its closed position(see FIG. 16). This allows the cover to remain weatherproof for variousinstalled orientations of the cover plate.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, embodiments of the invention may include aknock-out tab 90 and corresponding cord catch 84 on a second adjacentside of the lid 62 and base 64 of the cover plate 60 in addition to theknock-out tab 90 on a first side. By including knock-out tabs 90 andcord catches 84 on adjacent sides of the cover plate 60, theweatherproof nature of the cover plate 60 may be maintained in eitherthe horizontal or vertical orientation of the cover plate 60 by removinga knock-out tab 90 on the underside of the cover plate 60 after thecover plate 60 is installed.

Additional or alternative knock-out tabs and cord catches may be used inthe base and lid to accommodate cord access to the closed cover platefrom various locations or for multiple access points. For example, asillustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, a base may be configured to have aflattened corner 92 adjoining two adjacent sides 94 and 96, theflattened corner 92 having a cord catch 98 disposed along a lip 100, orupper ridge, thereof. With the cord catch 98 on a flattened orother-shaped corner 92, the cover plate may be installed in either ahorizontal or vertical orientation using a single cord catch opening.Alternatively, a differently shaped cord catch may be used toaccommodate multiple cords, or merely provide more space for a singlecord. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, a T-shaped cord catch 102 may beused and accommodate a cord in each branch of the T. Furthermore,similar to the cord catch 98 shown in FIG. 17, the cord catch may be abackwards J-shaped cord catch to assist in holding the cord in thecatch. A particular orientation of the cord catch embodiments shownherein should not be implied by the Figures. Embodiments of theinvention may include cord catches of varying orientations and shapessuch as a forward and backward J shapes, forward and backward L, variouswedge shapes, and U shapes.

Additionally, a cord catch of any embodiment of the invention mayfurther include a knock-out section 110 therein which is integrallyformed with the base but includes a thinned region 112 therearound,similar to knock-out sections 90 included in the lid 62. These cordcatch knock-out sections 110 may then be used to provide additionalprotection until it is desired to pass a cord through the cord catch.The thinned region 112 allows for removal of the knock-out section 110similar to the knock-out tabs 26 of the base shown in FIG. 4.

In reference to FIGS. 21 and 22, the cord catch 114 may alternatively beconfigured to have a narrowing portion 116, such as at an end, whichoperates to restrict movement of the cord 120 or 124 therethrough. Inuse, a cord 120 or 124 may be placed in the cord catch 114 through theopening 118 along the upper lip 88, or ridge of the base 126. By movingthe cord 120 or 124 toward the narrowing portion 116 of the cord catch114, the narrowing cord catch 114 will “pinch” the cord 120 or 124 inthe cord catch 114 to restrict its movement. By providing a knock-out inthe cover which aligns with the base when closed, such as that shown inFIG. 9 and described in reference thereto, the lid may be closed overthe base 126 even when the cord 120 or 122 extends through the cordcatch. By using a narrowing cord catch 118, a plug associated with thecord which is plugged into an outlet within the bubble cover plate ismore likely to remain plugged in because the narrowing end 116 of thecord catch 114 presses against the cord 120 or 122, thus increasing thefriction between the cord 120 or 122 and the sides of the cord catch 114to restrain the cord 120 or 122. Of course, for many embodiments itwould be desirable to match the size and shape of the lid to that of thebase and match corresponding knock-out tabs in the lid to cover any cordcatches in the base to thereby reduce the likelihood of water gainingaccess to the electronics within the cover plate when the lid is closedon the base.

In other embodiments of the invention, however, such as those shown inFIGS. 23-26, it may be desirable to match the size and shape of the lidto that of the base for a majority of the lid, but include a portion ofthe lid sized and shaped so that there is a gap between the lid and baselarge enough for a cord to extend therethrough. FIGS. 23 and 24 show,respectively, a bottom view of an assembled cover plate 130 and a sideview of a disassembled cover plate 130 illustrating a gap 136 betweenthe lid 132 and the base 134 sufficient to allow a cord to extendtherebetween without interfering with the lid 132 closing. For theembodiment shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, the gap 136 extends forsubstantially the entire length of a side of the base 134, thoughshorter gaps are contemplated. The base 134 of the cover plate 130 forthis embodiment includes an optional opening 138 in the base wall toallow a cord to more easily pass through the gap and recess withoutpreventing the lid 132 from closing.

As with previous embodiments of the invention, the base opening 138 mayinclude a knock-out which can be removed only when needed. It isanticipated that the gap 136 and base opening 138, if used, may be ofany shape and size so long as it is sufficient to allow an electricalcord to pass therethrough. For embodiments without a base opening, thegap 136 between the lid 130 and the base 134 may be designed of asufficient size to allow a cord to pass therethrough without preventingthe lid 130 from closing. The base 134, may also be formed with agreater depth 139 to provide protection for the internal electronicswhile compensating for the opening 138 in the base ridge. Note that forthe embodiment shown in FIG. 24, the lip of the lid 132 extends beyondthe base opening 138 when the lid is closed to reflect water from theopening 138 while allowing a cord to extend through the opening 138.

FIGS. 25 and 26 show another embodiment of a cover plate having a gapbetween the lid and the base. The gap 140 of this embodiment, ratherthan extending for substantially the entire length of a side of thecover plate 142 as in the previous embodiment, extends for only a shortportion of the side of the cover plate 142 so as to create a bulge 144on a wall or along a ridge of the lid 146. The bulge 144, like theextended gap in the previous embodiment, may be sized and shaped toallow passage of a cord therethrough. The specific dimensions of eitherthe gap or the bulge will depend upon the desired size of the intendedcord to pass therethrough and may range from a size sufficient to pass asmall cord, for example having a diameter of ⅛ to ¼ inch, to a sizesufficient to pass a large cord, for example having a diameter of 1 to1½ inch. Similar to the previous embodiment, the embodiment shown inFIGS. 25 and 26 includes an opening 148 in the ridge of the base 150 toprovide some additional space for allowing a cord to pass through thegap 140. The opening 148, however, is optional because the gap 140, maybe sized and shaped sufficiently without an opening in the base to allowa cord to pass therethrough when the lid 142 is closed. It iscontemplated that more than one gap may be included on a side of thelid, and, if used, more than one corresponding base opening may be usedto allow cords to more easily extend from the cover plate embodimentswhen installed in either the horizontal or vertical positions. The useof a gap is particularly useful in a weatherproof bubble cover platebecause it allows a cord to extend therefrom while the lid is securelyclosed and fastened to keep the weather from the outlet enclosedtherein.

Embodiments of the base opening for use with a gap may also include acord catch, such as the cord catch examples shown in FIGS. 9, 17, 19, 21and 22. In such an embodiment, the cord may be extended through the cordcatch opening with the lid open. Thus, the cord catch has an openingalong the ridge around the base. Additionally, the cord catch has asecond portion that extends along the wall of the base, which portiondoes not have a direct exit to the edge of the base ridge. In otherwords, the second portion of the cord catch has a side, which is part ofthe base ridge, that does not have an immediate exit to the ridgeopening. Thus, a cord placed in the cord catch cannot be pulled directlyperpendicular to the base from the cord catch, but may be moved in adirection substantially parallel to the base, toward either the top(hinged side) or bottom (latch side) end of the base, and then movedperpendicular to the base to reach the opening along the edge of thebase ridge.

Alternatively, similar structures may be provided in the cover to catchthe cord. This embodiment has the additional benefit of the cord holdingthe cover shut when the cord is in the cord catch. By having a specificcord catch rather than just a flat or rounded opening in the cover orbase, the cord may be held within the cord catch to make it easier forthe lid to close against the base. This is particularly useful inembodiments using a biased hinge because the cord is less likely tointerfere with the lid being biased closed which enables the lid tocompletely close by itself. The use of the latch also helps to keep thelid closed while the cord is moved and pulled. Without the latch, thoughits use is optional, there is a greater likelihood that pulling on thecord will cause the lid to open, exposing the outlet to the weather, andthe cord may become unplugged.

For any of the embodiments shown and described herein, additionalgaskets may be used to increase the weatherproof characteristics of abubble cover plate. For example, a gasket may be used between the baseand the lid to further restrict water from entering a closed coverplate, a gasket may be positioned near the hinge area to prevent waterfrom entering gaps along the hinge area, and a gasket may be provided ina cord catch to create a flexible seal around a cord passingtherethrough.

The cover plate lids and bases for either the flat cover plate or bubblecover plate embodiments may be formed of metal, plastic or othermaterial by well-known processes. Gaskets for cover plates may be formedof a resilient water resistant material such as foam, rubber, siliconand the like, and may be optionally adhered to the lid or other surfaceby any adhesive known in the art. The biasing members may be formed of aresilient material such as spring steel that may be formed into a shapeand has properties for maintaining the shape or quickly returning to itwhen counter-biased.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order tobest explain the present invention and its practical application and tothereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use theinvention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognizethat the foregoing description and examples have been presented for thepurposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forthis not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to theprecise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possiblein light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit andscope of the forthcoming claims.

1. A cover plate for an outlet, the cover plate comprising a base and abubble lid coupled to the base by a hinge, the base having a ridge sizedand shaped to fit within a ridge of the bubble lid when the cover plateis in a closed position, the cover plate further comprising a gapbetween the base ridge and the bubble lid ridge, the gap beingconfigured to permit the cover plate to close with a power cordextending through the gap.
 2. The cover plate of claim 1, wherein thebase and lid are mountable on an electrical box in a vertical and in ahorizontal configuration.
 3. The cover plate of claim 1, wherein the gapextends for a majority of a length of a side of the cover plate.
 4. Thecover plate of claim 1, wherein the base comprises at least one openingalong a lip thereof which corresponds to the gap to allow the cord toextend through both the gap and the base opening when the cover plate isclosed.
 5. The cover plate of claim 1, wherein a portion of the lidcorresponding to the gap bulges away from the base to define the gap. 6.The cover plate of claim 5, wherein the base comprises at least oneopening along an edge of the base ridge, which opening corresponds tothe bulge in the lid to allow the cord to extend through both the gapand the base opening when the cover plate is closed.
 7. The cover plateof claim 3, wherein the base further comprises a knock-out in the baseopening.
 8. The cover plate of claim 1, wherein the hinge is a biasedhinge biasing the lid closed and the gap is configured to permit thecover plate to be biased closed with the cord extending through the gap.9. The cover plate of claim 4, wherein the base opening is an opening toa cord catch configured to pinch the cord therein to restrict itsmovement.
 10. A weatherproof cover plate for an electrical outlet, thecover plate comprising: a base having apertures therein configured toreceive an electrical device, the base comprising a ridge thereon; and abubble lid hingedly attached to the base by a biased hinge such that thecover plate may be mounted in either a vertical or a horizontalorientation, the bubble lid comprising a continuous ridge thereon;wherein the bubble lid ridge is sized and shaped larger than the baseridge such that the bubble lid ridge extends around the base ridge whenthe bubble lid is closed with respect to the base; and wherein the coverplate further comprises a gap between a portion of the bubble lid ridgeand the base ridge, the gap being configured to allow a cord to extendthrough the gap when the bubble lid is biased closed against the base.11. The cover plate of claim 10, wherein the gap extends for a majorityof a length of a side of the cover plate.
 12. The cover plate of claim10, wherein the base comprises at least one opening along the base ridgethat corresponds to the gap to allow the cord to extend through both thegap and the base opening when the cover plate is closed.
 13. The coverplate of claim 10, wherein a portion of the lid corresponding to the gapbulges away from the base to define the gap.
 14. The cover plate ofclaim 13, wherein the base comprises at least one opening along the baseridge that corresponds to the bulge in the lid to allow the cord toextend through both the gap and the base opening when the cover plate isclosed.
 15. The cover plate of claim 14, wherein the base furthercomprises a knock-out in the base opening.
 16. The cover plate of claim10, wherein the hinge is a biased hinge biasing the lid closed and thegap is configured to permit the cover plate to be biased closed with thecord extending through the gap.
 17. The cover plate of claim 16, whereinthe base opening is an opening to a cord catch configured to pinch thecord extending therethrough to restrict its movement.
 18. A bubble coverplate for an outlet, the cover plate comprising: a base having aperturestherein configured to receive an electrical device, the base comprisinga ridge thereon and at least one cord catch opening in the base definedalong an edge of the ridge, the cord catch opening including a firstcord catch portion extending from the ridge opening to a second cordcatch portion extending in a direction toward an end of the base, thesecond cord catch portion having a side in the immediate direction ofthe edge of the ridge, the second portion side being defined by theridge; and a bubble lid coupled to the base by a hinge, the bubble lidhaving a ridge configured to extend around a portion of the base ridgewhen the bubble lid is closed with respect to the base.
 19. The bubblecover plate of claim 18, wherein a portion of the lid ridge extendingaround the base opening comprises a knock-out portion aligned with thecord catch, which knock-out portion is removable to allow a cord toextend through the lid ridge when the lid is closed.
 20. The cover plateof claim 19, wherein the cord catch opening in the base ridge is coveredby the knock-out when the lid is closed.
 21. The cover plate of claim18, wherein the bubble lid is hingedly attached to the base by a biasedhinge, biasing the bubble lid into a normally closed position.
 22. Thecover plate of claim 18, wherein the cord catch is an L-shaped cordcatch.
 23. The cover plate of claim 18, wherein the cord catch is aT-shaped cord catch.
 24. The cover plate of claim 18, wherein the baseis generally rectangular in shape having a flattened corner, and thecord catch opening is positioned along the edge of the ridge at theflattened corner.
 25. The cover plate of claim 18, wherein the basecomprises a first cord catch opening along an edge of a first side ofthe base, and a second cord catch opening along an edge of a second sideof the base adjacent to the first side.
 26. The cover plate of claim 18,wherein the cord catch opening narrows in the second portion of the cordcatch such that a cord adjacent the second portion and extending throughthe ridge by way of the cord catch is restricted in its movementtherethrough.
 27. The cover plate of claim 18, wherein the cover platefurther comprises a gap between a portion of the bubble lid ridge andthe base ridge configured to allow a cord to extend through the cordcatch opening and through the gap when the bubble lid is closed againstthe base.